Wheelchairs are conventional tools used to facilitate the mobility of those persons having a disability, injury, or illness that increases the difficulty of walking. The basic components of a wheelchair include a seat, a seatback, and four wheels, yet additional features may be included and have been developed around these basic components. Depending on the particular features included, the wheelchair may be broadly classified as either a manual chair or a powered chair. Manual chairs are propelled by human-applied force, whether the force is applied by the patient from within the chair or by the patient's attendant from behind the wheelchair. Powered chairs include a motor and power source that are mechanically coupled to the wheels in order to propel the chair in a particular direction. Another version of the powered chair, known as a mobility-scooter, provides more elaborate features that facilitate the patient's use and increases the patient's comfort.
However, the patient cannot spend their entire life restricted to the wheelchair. Instead, it is often necessary to move the patient from the wheelchair. For example, wheelchairs are not easily accommodated by conventional automobiles. Therefore, some wheelchairs collapse, or fold, so that the wheelchair is transported separate from, but with, the patient. While collapsible wheelchair designs have been useful in accommodating automobile travel, the issue of transferring the patient to and from the wheelchair remains. This issue is not limited to automobile travel, but extends to daily routines such as physical examinations and daily hygiene practices.
One manner of transferring the patient to and from the wheelchair is accomplished by embracing the patient from under the arms, such as giving a “bear hug,” and manually lifting the patient. However, depending on the nature of the patient's disability or injury and the level of assistance that the patient is able to provide, this could be a “dead lift” for the patient's attendant, posing the threat of serious injury to both the patient and the patient's attendant.
To alleviate the strain on the patient's attendant, a mechanical lift may be used. The mechanical lift generally includes a handlebar grasped by the patient or a sling positioned around a portion of the patient's body. The mechanical lift may then be used to elevate and swivel the patient from one location to another.
Use of either of the manual and mechanical lift methods may cause at minimum physical discomfort to the patient, but may also cause skin shearing or bruising at the areas grasped for transfer. As a result, some wheelchairs have been designed to convert into a stretcher, which permits a supine-directed transfer of the patient. Still, these designs are often quite expensive due to the engineering required to design the conversion. Additionally, because the transfer may only be from the supine position, a large area is required for use of these designs.
While wheelchair designs have greatly increased the mobility of patients, there is needed development and design that aid in the transfer of the patient without the threat of injury and while maintaining the dignity of the patient. There is further need for a transfer mechanism that is readily adaptable to current wheelchair designs and without excessive engineering that ultimately increases the cost of the wheelchair. Preferably, the design would be readily applicable to all varieties of wheelchair designs, including manual chairs, powered chairs, and mobility-scooters.